Angela Smith: My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland (Lord Rooker) has made the following ministerial statement:
	"Rivers Agency is an Executive agency of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland. It acts on behalf of the Department as the statutory drainage and flood defence authority for Northern Ireland.
	The following key targets have been set for the agency for the 2005–06 business year:
	
		
			  Key Targets 
		
		
			 Urban Flood Defences: To construct or refurbish 286 metres of urban flood defences. 
			 Drainage Infrastructure: To accommodate increased storm run-off from 79 hectares of development land. 
			  To replace/refurbish 646 metres of dangerous culverts. 
			 Maintenance Watercourses: To complete identified maintenance works on 1,167 of the 1,617 designated open watercourses included in the notice of annual maintenance as part of a six-year scheduled maintenance programme. 
			 Replies to written enquiries: To issue substantive replies to 80 per cent. of written enquiries within 15 working days of receipt. 
			 Schedule 6 applications: To respond to 98 per cent. of schedule 6 applications within three months."